UCSB Gevirtz School research collaborators will work with Drs. Leena Krokfors and Jarkko Myllari, visiting scholars from Finland, for several days in Santa Barbara to further the joint research projects underway among Gevirtz faculty and University of Helsinki researchers. Both Krokfors and Myllari have been collaborating with the Gevirtz School for five years. Finnish youngsters score very highly in international comparisons across math and science – often being ranked number 1 or 2 in the world. Gevirtz and Helsinki faculty are engaged in a multi-year program to investigate the powerful aspects of teacher preparation. Finland, which reformed its educational system quite dramatically over the past several decades, points to its exceptionally well prepared, paid, and respected teachers as the keys to its national success.
Leena Krokfors runs the Center for Research on Teaching (CRT), which is part of the Department of Applied Sciences of Education at the Faculty of Behavioral Sciences, University of Helsinki. CRT aims at studying the teaching-studying-learning (TSL) processes and its mission is to explore the relationship between different parts of this process and to build optimal conditions for good teaching and learning in general. In order to fulfill this task CRT is dedicated to improving the pedagogical and instructional processes in schools, the teacher education curriculum and study programs of teacher education.
Krokfors is also a leader or a co-leader of seven research projects and a chair or a member of several boards or steering committees of national and international research projects. She is a member of the editorial board of Journal of Reflective Practice and a referee in several international research journals, such as Journal of Education and Teaching and TRAMES Journal of the Humanities and Social Sciences. She is currently editor in chief of Didakta Varia, a Journal of Teacher Education published by Department of Applied Sciences of Education and an associate member in the scientific committee of International Study Association of Teachers and Teaching (ISATT). Krokfors is an active member of the American Educational Research Association (AERA), Finnish Educational Research Association (FERA) and European Teacher Education Network (ETEN).